the perfect chocolate chip cookies

i love dessert, and cookies are top notch, but i would have a hard time saying chocolate chip cookies are my favorite. delicious? yes. my favorite? eh. but now…things may have changed. this recipe may have changed my entire life. ok, maybe i exaggerate. but only a little.

i have made these cookies two weekends in a row. once, for a bbq at a friends place (with leftovers, yay), and this past weekend because there were only two left in the cookie jar and i couldn’t bear the thought of not having one to eat after dinner (just one, still trying to lose weight). my point is, they’re delicious.

and get this–you don’t even need a mixer. just a whisk, spatula and biceps.

preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place the oven rack in the middle position. line 2 large (18×12 inch) baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl and set aside.

heat 10 tablespoons of the butter in 10-inch skillet (if possible, do not use nonstick) over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes.

add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny.

using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.

to me, what makes this cookie perfect is the browned butter. it’s not just butter, it’s more than butter. it’s…browned butter. and it’s fantastic.

the dough is the best dough i’ve ever had, hands down. luckily i end up with not enough dough to make another cookie and i go to town. raw eggs be damned.

it’s chewy yet crisp, with chocolate in every bite and hints of caramel from the browned butter and brown sugar. it’s perfect.

a couple notes:
-the first time i used semi-sweet chunks and (non toasted) pecans. delicious. the chunks were a hit.
-the second time i used what was left of the chunks, what was left of some semi-sweet chips and some milk chocolate chips to top it off. and no nuts. delicious.
-i’m a big fan of using my cookie scoop to ensure equally sized cookies and less mess on the hands. it holds 1 1/2 tablespons, so this recipe yielded me about 32 cookies. i baked them for approximately 10-11 minutes. i’m sure the larger size will ensure softer cookies, but i’m very happy with the crunch to chewy/softness of my cookies. and i’m happy that there’s more cookies to go around.

i know chocolate chip cookies are a very personal preference. everyone has their own favorite recipe. but try these and they may change your life! or at least your chocolate chip cookie preference.

in semi-related news, i discovered this video through dooce. i almost peed my pants.

I can attest to the fact that these are the most delicious homemade chocolate chip cookies I have ever tasted! Justine gave some to her father for Father’s Day, so I helped him devour them. The perfect texture, amount of chocolate, and even size. Fabulous!!